Best wine cellar educational event?

Hi All - I’m researching wine-cellar, multi-day programs in the U.S. to attend that have an educational component. If you’ve been to one or more, would love to hear the name of the program, location, duration, and cost. I’m thinking the program would provide general education on what to collect, how to watch for counterfeit bottles, best cellar tracking apps, networking opportunities, industry advice on liquidating collections, etc. ~Kirsten

Check out SommCon

Thanks so much! Have you attended this event before?

If I way ask, what is your ultimate goal?

I’m researching what’s currently available and what other Wine Berserkers like because I want to launch a conference for wine cellar enthusiasts later this year.

SommCon is not anything like what you’re describing, Kirsten. I have never heard of a program like that.

Yes, after looking at SommCon, I see that it is more geared towards wine industry pros. Well, I suppose I’m happy to be the one to organize a fun, educational program centered around wine cellar enthusiasts! Looking at San Diego in August. I own two wine education companies and we do wine events around the country… this is a natural!!

I see you’ve been a part of WB for a long time. Any advice as to how I can 1) query members to see if they’re interested in something like this, and if they’re interested, 2) hear what they would want to see at an event?

What is your goal here? When you say Wine Cellar educational seminar, are you talking about educating people as to what they should have in their cellar or how to construct one?

And when you say you already have to Wine education companies, where are they based and do you have a link so we can see what you do?

Cheers

As some background, I’m an Executive Somm and I own http://www.FoxSchoolofWine.com and http://www.CulinaryWineInstitute.com. Although I’m physically located in Park City, Ut, both are national companies in that FSW has does events all over the country and CWI is online wine education for resorts.

My goal is to create a multi-day program that will inspire wine-cellar owners and enthusiasts with education, tastings, industry speakers and networking opportunities. I’m expecting to have tracks for the logistics, aesthetics and collection aspects of cellars.

For example, I have Maureen Downey holding dates for me. She is one of the world’s top counterfeit wine experts and was key in busting Rudy Kurniawan. Her ideas for her classes are as follows: Inventory Management & Maintenance – Key aspects of storing and Ageing wines & The importance of, and systems for inventory management; Building, Downsizing or Liquidating a Collection - what and how to buy and sell and where, when and why. Winning strategies for buying & selling wine; and/or Protecting Your Investment: Authentication & Provenance - without it nothing else matters. Plus she’d be the keynote speaker about her experiences in counterfeit wines.

I’m putting together other industry leaders specifically for wine cellar owners or wanna-be’s.

Thoughts?

Maureen posts here every so often.

But wine cellar enthusiasts?

If your goal is to gather people who want to learn about collecting, there are people here who have thousands of bottles, some in the wine business, some making wine, some importing and selling it.

It’s an interesting idea but I think you’d maybe want to link up with another event, because while there are a lot of people interested in wine, there are fewer interested in collecting and of those, fewer who would be likely to travel to attend an event devoted solely to that.

Here’s a thread you might like:

Thanks for the thread on Rudy!

Also thanks for the input regarding linking up with another event. I’ll keep that in mind.

Does this kind of event interest you? If so, if you’re willing to tell me, what subjects would you like to learn more about?

A typical person’s palate changes so much as they start to get into wine. My strong advice is to go very slowly so you don’t end up cellaring a bunch of wines in a variety or style you don’t like. I would hope that people in their early phases of “wine appreciation”* are not encouraged to run head first into an expensive cellar build.



*(kinda wankerish term, but you know what I mean)

Totally agree, Chris. Slow and steady. Maybe better track titles would be Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced?

I am not about pushing anyone into anything that is wasteful or not in line with what their goals are. Part of this program, for those who want it, would be to help them in creating wine cellar goals with a plan to execute. They’d leave with something tangible that they create to help them achieve whatever their dream for their cellar is.

My wine cellar has been thirty years in the making starting with working at a wine store then opening lots and lots of bottles and attending hundreds of wine dinners and tastings. I also grow grapes and make wine. My cellar has changed and grown many times over the decades. I’m not sure I’d be interested in your seminar other than hearing Maureen speak. There is probably a huge market for your product, but I don’t know who your target market is.

Thanks, Mark, for sharing your opinion. Since this is the first one I’m organizing, it’ll be interesting to see who it attracts. My guess is someone like you about 25 years ago.

Yes, Maureen is amazing and I’m lucky enough to have gotten to drink some beautiful white Burgundy with her a few years ago.

I suppose you could start a new thread for those specific questions.

Thanks, Doug. I’m waiting to hear how I’m supposed to use the WineBerserkers website appropriately. Since I own wine education businesses, apparently I need to register differently. Sounds like a great idea to start a new thread asking those questions if I’m allowed. Thanks!